October Cybersecurity Awareness: Protecting Your Digital World
Cybersecurity Month in October is a crucial time to highlight the importance of safeguarding our digital lives. In an increasingly interconnected world, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been greater. This article explores the significance of Cybersecurity Month, providing insights into the latest threats, best practices for online safety, and practical tips for individuals and organizations to fortify their defenses. Join us in this informative journey to enhance your cybersecurity awareness and protect your digital world.
Ashish Kulkarni – Global Delivery Head – Threat & Vulnerability Management, Inspira Enterprise.
“The expanded attack surface, an outcome of extreme digitization, has made our IT environments highly vulnerable. Managing thousands of devices and applications, which are entry points to attacks, is a nightmare for all CISOs and CIOs. Proactive Threat and Vulnerability Management (TVM) is both a strategy and a shield to strengthen an organization’s cybersecurity defences. A robust TVM program should comprise of Security Architecture Review, Application Security, DevSecOps, Penetration Testing, and Red Teaming, all of which help in addressing security vulnerabilities across people, processes, and technologies. Over the course of time, vulnerability management has evolved from being a tick in the box to an essential activity that impacts businesses in cost savings, continuity, protection of reputation, and risk mitigation and drives business growth and innovation”.
Saurabh Saxena Regional Vice President at OpenText
“In India, there exists a common misconception among employees regarding cyberattacks, they fear that these are inevitable. However, it’s essential to dispel this notion. Most cyberattacks are not highly sophisticated; instead, they exploit human errors. As the threat landscape continues to spiral, organizations must strengthen their cybersecurity framework. That means having the ability to gain visibility across complex IT environments, quickly detect and prevent threats, respond quickly to internal and external threats to understand scope and impact, and comply with information security, regulatory and industry standards.
Cybersecurity should be viewed as a preventive measure. Digital disruptions can result in data loss and hinder online access, making cybersecurity awareness crucial in our tech-driven era. Vigilance in handling emails, passwords, and access is crucial to thwarting attacks. Often, basics like scrutinizing email headers, avoiding suspicious links, and maintaining robust passwords are overlooked which leave an organization vulnerable, especially in the time of AI enabled targeted threats. The growing adoption of cybersecurity insurance signals increased awareness.
To enhance cybersecurity consciousness, companies should prioritize IT hygiene, adopt relevant frameworks, and conduct regular cyber incident mock trials. Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks can inflict significant losses on Indian businesses, but these can often be prevented through cybersecurity awareness and simple verification methods. Finance departments should establish protocols to make it challenging for cybercriminals to succeed in BEC attacks, recognizing that it’s not a question of “if” but “when” these attacks will occur. Awareness remains a potent weapon against cyber threats in India.”
“In my opinion, this year’s theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ‘Secure Our World: 2023 and Beyond,’ is both timely and critical. In an age defined by digital transformation and escalating cyber threats, it’s imperative that we extend our vigilance beyond our organisation’s borders. Safeguarding our world involves not only fortifying our own defenses but also collaborating on a global scale.
In this virtual battlefield, where technologies like Generative AI serve as weapons, our commitment to securing our world is not just a responsibility but a critical necessity for the advancement and prosperity of our global community. Enhancing our defenses, fostering innovation, and promoting cybersecurity education on a global scale are the means at our disposal. Together, we can construct a resilient digital ecosystem, ensuring that we can effectively counter the challenges posed by the next wave of warfare and safeguard the interconnected world we share ”
Maheswaran S, Country Manager – S.Asia, Varonis.
Cybersecurity month spotlights the significant role of IT teams as the backbone of our digital ecosystems. It is imperative for businesses to prioritise cybersecurity awareness and invest in cybersecure technologies such as Zero Trust Network Architecture, Multi-Factor Authentication, and secure VPNs. Fostering a cybersecurity culture begins with simplification, empowering security and IT leaders to navigate the digital defence landscape with the right tools. Through IT tools that offer multi-layer security to address today’s dynamic threat landscape, we can strive to build a secure and resilient world, where data is safeguarded, privacy is respected, and trust is fortified.”
Mandy Andress, CISO, Elastic
“Cybersecurity Awareness month has never been more important than it is today. The increasing complexity of IT environments, matched with an escalating number of cyberthreats and the industry wide skills gap, has heightened the need for both visibility and collaboration in the security space. Many of today’s attackers are well-resourced and have very sophisticated methods. Subsequently, we need a paradigm shift; from a black-box approach to an Open Security model in order to meet them head on.
To catch a cybercriminal, you need to think like one. Similarly, in order to stand a chance against a well-coordinated community of attackers, you need your own well-coordinated community. Open Security encourages collaboration, with information security experts pooling their collective brainpower and sharing code, detection rules and artefacts as they work together to protect IT systems. It’s a joint effort to improve security software for the benefit of the community as a whole rather than the shareholders of one specific software company.
As the threat landscape continues to expand and hackers utilise new technological advancements to take their efforts to the next level, the transparency offered by Open Security will be imperative to keeping businesses safe.”
Venkatesh Subramaniam, Cybersecurity and Privacy Head, Mindsprint
“As we observe Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we must acknowledge that cybersecurity in today’s dynamic threat landscape is a business enabler and an important brand differentiator. In this digital age, we stand at a critical juncture where new-age technologies like AI, IoT, and Cloud increasingly fuel innovation in every vertical. An integrated security-by-design approach ensures we can take advantage of the benefits of these technologies without getting blind slighted on the risks.
The recent passage of the Data Protection Bill 2023 in India is a transformative measure towards cybersecurity and data protection. It serves as a reminder that security and privacy are both an opportunity and our collective responsibility toward creating a cyber-resilient world and protecting information. At an organizational level, we must ensure frictionless security that users can easily adopt and promote cybersecurity education to empower our users and customers to stay vigilant. By prioritizing cybersecurity and fostering a culture of awareness, we can safeguard our digital ecosystems, mitigate the risks associated with cyber threats, and help meet business objectives.”
Aladdin Elston, Head – Information Security at Altimetrik
“With the rapid adoption of diverse working models, the onslaught of cyber threats has been unrelenting, and India being one of the worst-hit cyber-attack victims over recent years. In fact, in the first quarter of 2023, India experienced a staggering 18% increase in weekly cyberattacks, almost twice the global average. In the broader Asia Pacific region, the year-on-year spike reached a remarkable 16%.
In the face of these persistent cyber challenges, our approach must hinge on crafting a holistic and user-friendly network architecture to protect data assets. The proposed Data Protection Bill of 2023 signifies a landmark leap toward a digital realm where data is shielded, aligning with the global aspirations for a resilient digital infrastructure. However, safeguarding our digital world isn’t just a technological pursuit; it’s a collective responsibility and a crucial business imperative. Organizations must cultivate a comprehensive cybersecurity culture that commences with simplification, equipping business leaders and CISOs to navigate the labyrinth of digital defense.
As we face unforeseen cyber-challenges, the call to ‘Secure the World’ resonates louder than ever. In the digital age, cybersecurity is not just a necessity; it is a responsibility. It is essential that we maintain an unwavering focus on educating individuals about combatting common cyber threats. Businesses should commit to substantial investments in upskilling and bridging the massive gap in the cybersecurity workforce. The formidable task of thwarting cyber threats and ransomware attacks can be overcome with a highly skilled team of cybersecurity professionals who can efficiently safeguard their digital domains to become a future-ready organization.”
Balaji Rao, Area Vice President, India & SAARC, Commvault
“Cyber Security Awareness Month emphasizes the value of gradually stepping up one’s security precautions to enhance long term cyber fitness. As one of the world’s foremost digital powers, it is India’s time to step up its security posture with the introduction of the Data Protection Bill 2023.
The critical interplay between privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity strategy will collectively foster a culture of data empowerment in the digital era. As we operate in a borderless cyberspace, the practice of a holistic approach through zero trust will help us keep current business in a controlled state. Each function of an organization must work collectively to fight cybercrime in a safe, economic, and sustainable manner.
Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and traditional security measures are no longer adequate to defend against threats. Enterprises must shift from a reactive to a proactive approach towards cybersecurity, where new-age technologies like AI and cyber deception help identify potential threats and vulnerabilities in the early stages. Automating cybersecurity processes can reduce the time between an attack and its detection and ultimately reduce the risk of cyber-attacks and data breaches.”
Amit Luthra, Managing Director- India, Lenovo ISG
“This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it’s imperative to acknowledge that the influence of AI and ML extends far beyond the surge in cybercrimes. In the age of accelerated edge computing adoption, security at the edge should be the first line of defense for enterprises. The decentralized nature of edge computing confines end-user devices outside the traditional data centers and the cloud environment. This created vulnerabilities and potential entry points, making AI-enabled security paramount.
AI establishes a baseline for normal behavior and quickly identifies anomalies. Processing security at the edge with AI also means less data that is required to be sent to central servers for analysis, further reducing bandwidth usage and minimizing the potential for interception. At Lenovo ISG, we are committed to empowering enterprises to navigate this evolving landscape. Our Edge AI services and solutions facilitate real-time data transformation into actionable insights, enhancing business agility and reducing the impact of cyberattacks.”
Dhananjay Ganjoo, Managing Director for India, and SAARC at F5
“In this era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), our digital landscape has undergone a significant transformation. AI/ML technologies have not only revolutionized data processing and analysis but also ushered in a new era of cyber threats. Our traditional cybersecurity methods are now insufficient to counter the complexity of these evolving threats. To effectively navigate this transformed security landscape, we must adapt and embrace the potential of AI and ML,” said Dhananjay Ganjoo, Managing Director for India, and SAARC at F5. “By deploying advanced algorithms, organizations can autonomously monitor network activities, detect anomalies, and predict potential threats in real-time. Collaboration and information sharing within the cybersecurity community are equally crucial, facilitated by AI-powered threat intelligence platforms. The future of cybersecurity depends on our ability to integrate AI/ML with human expertise, enabling us to proactively defend against dynamic threats and provide a simple and secure digital experience.”
Bijo Chacko – Vice President & Head of Cloud & Infrastructure Delivery, Visionet
As we celebrate Cyber Security Awareness Month 2023 with the theme ‘Cyber Safety Starts With YOU,’ we aim to draw focus towards the immense power of individuals in the realm of digital security. In this era of interconnectivity, our online choices shape our personal cybersecurity and have a ripple effect across the digital network, impacting the collective safety of the online world. At Visionet, we believe that every click, every password, and every vigilant moment matters.
Empowerment starts with awareness. Simple cybersecurity practices like strong password management, cautious email handling, keeping the personal and official devices up-to-date and responsible online behaviour have a profound impact. They not only protect our data but also fortify the digital defences of organisations and society.
An individual’s commitment to cyber safety resonates across the digital landscape. Actions in maintaining cyber hygiene, reporting suspicious activities, and staying informed about evolving threats form the foundation of a secure online world.
This year’s theme, ‘Cyber Safety Starts With YOU’ is more than a theme; it’s a call to action. It reminds everyone that each person is a catalyst for change in the cybersecurity realm. As society navigates the digital age, let these actions light the path for others toward a more secure and resilient cyberspace. This October, people should unite to protect, educate, and empower. Together, they will make a lasting impact.
Samir Kumar Mishra, Director, Security Business, Cisco India & SAARC
‘‘As the digital world becomes a reality, the narrative for defenders worldwide has been rewritten. Security resilience has become paramount to navigate the interconnected world and counter the expanding threat landscape. While some progress has been made, not enough businesses are cybersecurity-ready to take on the challenges that our increasingly hybrid world has created. A Cisco study indicates that only 24% of organizations in India have the mature level of readiness needed to be resilient against today’s modern cybersecurity risks.
At Cisco, we strongly believe that security is a collective responsibility. By leveraging our cutting-edge technologies, industry-leading expertise, and fostering collaborative partnerships, we drive innovation and construct resilient security architectures. Additionally, we empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to safeguard themselves and their organizations from cyber risks.
As we celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, cybersecurity readiness and resilience must be a priority for all. To enable effective security in a world of evolving threats, it’s vital to secure the people and devices that connect to the network. If a device is connected, it needs to be protected. Ensuring that organizations adopt an integrated platform approach to secure identity, devices, network, applications, and data with a mix of point tools and integrated platforms will help businesses achieve security resilience while reducing complexity. Together, we can build a future where trust and security thrive, empowering individuals and organizations to embrace the limitless potential of the digital era.”
